<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Western AU by wordscavenger</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25384189">Western AU</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/wordscavenger/pseuds/wordscavenger'>wordscavenger</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Detroit Evolution Artfest [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Detroit Evolution - Fandom, Detroit: Become Human (Video Game), octopunk media - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Western, Angst with a Happy Ending, DEArtfest, Detroit Evolution Artfest (Detroit: Become Human), Established Relationship, Human Upgraded Connor | RK900, M/M, Octopunk Media, Soft Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Whump</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:35:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,836</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25384189</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/wordscavenger/pseuds/wordscavenger</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>DEArtfest Prompt #5: Western AU<br/>Year: 1958</p><p>Nines is the star of a 1950's western television show where Gavin manages the show's horses. After becoming injured on set, Nines must decide between following his dreams, or following his heart.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Detroit Evolution Artfest [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1812310</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>58</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Western AU</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I need to stop putting these boys in the hospital.</p><p>I hope you enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><p>“This seat taken?”</p><p>For a moment Nines didn’t register the voice, then he opened one eye and smiled. Above him, Gavin was looking down, lighting a cigarette and wincing against the strong California sunlight.</p><p>“Where have you been off to?” Nines asked and nodded towards the empty folding chair next to him before sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The five-minute nap he had being trying to squeeze in between takes would have to wait.  </p><p>Gavin flopped into the seat, sucked in a long drag, and then blew the smoke out into the wind.</p><p>The back studio’s lot set up just outside Hollywood was bustling with extras rehearsing their lines and noting their cues while stage-hands and set assistants gathered their materials and equipment to setup the scene. </p><p>Surrounding them was the setting of a mid-1800’s Midwestern town, nicer looking than what probably existed a hundred years ago. Wooden buildings featuring a saloon, pharmacy and even a fake water tower, cast shade onto the dusty streets. It had occasionally been used for some John Wayne flicks, but now it was the fictional town used in a weekly television western.</p><p>Gavin and Nines were seated by a props trailer, hiding in its shade, waiting out the scene change.  </p><p>“I’ve been doing some light reading,” Gavin finally answered and held out his hand with the cigarette to Nines.</p><p>Nines declined, like always, and was fondly exasperated that Gavin still offered it to him while knowing the answer would always be the same.</p><p>“Is that supposed to be euphemism for something?” Nines chided, raising his eyebrows at Gavin’s answer. He knew Gavin was smart, but didn’t recall the man ever applying himself to anything literary.</p><p>Instead of answering, Gavin pulled out a rolled up magazine from behind his back, then plopped it onto Nines’ lap.</p><p>Hesitantly, Nines picked up the magazine, already frowning. “I was wondering if they were going to publish this.” He looked over the cover of <em>Screen News</em>, his reflection staring back at him. His black-and white photo displayed his hair styled in a roguish coif, and his steady eyes hinted at the same mischief his wry smirk promised.</p><p>He found the article, and began reading the magazine’s thoughts on the popular television series <em>The Adventures of Tin-Man</em>, about a lone vagabond who wears a suit made of tin designed to hide his identity and keep him safe during battles as he travels the untamed Wild West, helping the helpless and righting the wrongs of a lawless landscape.</p><p>The reviews were positive, and the interviewer seemed to enjoy Nines’ company, obviously enamored with the show’s star. But then the article delved into the part Nines had worried about.</p><p>“Insider reports show that Hollywood’s beloved starlet Ada Smith, also known as Nines’ long-term girlfriend, has been frequenting parts of <em>Los Angeles</em> famous for their stellar bridal shops. Though a diamond hasn’t been spotted on her delicate digits yet, no doubt the great success of Nines’ TV show will encourage him to spend a little more moolah when he finally decides to take the marital plunge.”    </p><p>Silence stretched between them as Nines scanned through the article. He felt his back tense, his mind swirling with troubled thoughts he didn’t know how to voice.</p><p>When Gavin finished his cigarette, he threw it onto the ground, then said, “Want to check on the kids with me?”</p><hr/><p>“They behaving today?” Nines asked, amused that Gavin still called the show’s horses he managed his kids. The studio housed the horses in a stall behind the fake town, and most of the employees stayed away from the place unless they needed something for a shoot. The stall was big enough to fit the five horses, but mostly they lazed about out in the enclosed pen Gavin had built for them out back.</p><p>As always, Nines headed straight for his horse, a stallion named Stalwart. He lifted a hand and placed it affectionately on the Stalwart’s nose, who just snorted and tried to buck his hand off.</p><p>Nines tsked fondly at him, and moved his hand to run it along his neck. This time the stallion didn’t shift, and allowed Nines to continue stroke him carefully, leaving trails of soothing caresses along his chestnut coat.</p><p>Though his back was leaning against the outside of Stalwart’s stall, Gavin watched Nines’ every movement, how the horse responded to Nines’ touch, his voice. He watched as Nines, now more relaxed, reached into his jeans pocket and produce a couple of sugar cubes he had nicked from the craft services table, whispering soft and encouraging words as Stalwart opened his mouth and licked Nines’ palm clean.</p><p>Gavin kicked the straw beneath his feet and said, “You spoil them.”</p><p>Laughing softly, Nines replied, “You spoil them more.” He gave the horse one last pat and then walked up to Gavin, stopping inches in front of the man. He took his hat off, a sable fedora his character always wore, and hooked it on a nail above Gavin’s head, then looked down. “Why? You’re not jealous of a horse are you, Gavin?”</p><p>Gavin growled and hooked a finger though the loop of Nines’ jeans, then tugged him inside an empty stall.</p><p>Nines laughter echoed through the empty stalls</p><p>“Shut it, tin-man,” Gavin muttered and slid his hand into Nines’ hair, running the pads of his fingers along his scalp until he was cupping the back of his head. He surged forward, kissing Nines like he was a stranded man thirsting for a droplet of water.</p><p>The thrill of Gavin’s touch rippled through Nines’ body, electrifying him in all the ways that made him feel alive, but somehow also free-falling into a contented state of bliss he never wanted to leave. Having Gavin’s firm body in his arms, the familiar taste of dust and nicotine on his tongue, was like coming home for Nines.</p><p>A solid wall suddenly connected with Nines’ back, and he realized Gavin was just as desperate for his touch, his closeness, as Gavin pushed himself closer into Nines’ embrace. Neither man made an effort for more, it was always just enough to touch, to kiss, and to be together in a way they couldn’t share beyond these walls.</p><p>Eventually, Nines had to wretch himself away from Gavin’s kiss, but he soothed his loss by locking onto Gavin’s eyes, letting the hazel iris’ filled with love and affection wash over him.</p><p>“Gavin,” Nines began then stopped when Gavin shook his head.</p><p>“No,” Gavin whispered. “C’mon, it’s been days since we had more than five minutes alone. Don’t make me beg.” He wasn’t wrong. Nines had been flown to New York for the magazine’s interview, and since returning late last night had been busy with the filming for most of the day.</p><p>Sighing, Nines lifted a hand to graze his knuckles softly against the apple of Gavin’s cheek. Gavin’s response was to squeeze his eyes shut, like the softness was too much for him to bear, but he didn’t move away.</p><p>“I know,” Nines finally whispered. “But, we have rehearsal, and if we’re late again...” He paused to watch Gavin open his eyes. “Afterwards, though, there’s nothing. Want me to come here when we wrap? I’ll help you untack the kids, and then we can have dinner together.”</p><p>Gavin let go of Nines and stepped away. Despite the hot California heat, the space between him and Nines felt like an arctic chill.</p><p>Placing his hands on his hips, Gavin muttered, “Fine.” He then pointed to Nines. “But you’re also mucking the stalls.” He started to lower his hand, then swiftly brought it back up to double-point at Nines. “And we’re getting dinner at Lazzo’s Diner. Your treat.”</p><p>Nines smiled, glad that Gavin didn’t seem as mad as he worried he was, and gave him a mock salute. “Aye aye captain.”</p><p>For a moment Gavin just stared at Nines, then shook his head and said, “You’re such an idiot.” He walked over and grabbed Nines’ hat, then tossed it to him. Nines easily caught it and slid it back onto his head.</p><p>Nodding towards the other stalls, Gavin said, “Help me bring the horses out. And don’t do that stupid saluting thing again. That was a travesty to watch.”</p><hr/><p>Sometimes a whole lot of bad can come from a wholly small thing.</p><p>The scene had called for a dramatic horse chase through a cavern in the Alabama Hills outside Lone Pine, with high crumbling walls and a wide rocky terrain. Nines had actually been looking forward to the shoot, he loved how Stalwart handled himself when he was desperate for a run, fast and controlled, snorting and beating his hooves against the earth. The rush of flying through the terrain with the sturdy power of a stallion in his hands as the world opened up its beauty to him was exhilarating.     </p><p>Shooting began with a bang, literally. A fake gunshot that to Stalwart was as similar to Nines’ kick on the side, and Nines was off. Before he joined the show Nines had never ridden a horse, but after less than a day spent with Gavin training him, he had unlocked a love for horseback riding he could never turn away from now. Gavin had given him a gift he never thought he would have wanted.</p><p>And then Gavin went and unlocked so much more.</p><p>Stalwart saw the snake first, a striped racer sunbathing in a mound of upturned rock where a lone ray of sunshine was peeking out between a crevice in the walls. Stalwart bucked back, hard and high, startled when the snake uncurled itself so unnaturally that it triggered a deep primal warning of danger to him, and he let out a shrieking neigh that echoed off the rocky walls.</p><p>Nines didn’t have a chance. Sweat from the heat had laced his hands like gloves, and the reigns easily slid out from beneath his palms. He felt himself fall backwards, and when his head connected with sharp rocks and packed earth, the dry Californian air bulleted out of his lungs. Searing pain cracked like a streak of splintered lightening beneath his skull, before the marble blue sky flipped upwards, and then faded to black.</p><hr/><p>Unfiltered cigarette smoke led the path from the darkness.</p><p>The words, ‘please put that out’ were on the tip of Nines’ tongue, but before he could even begin to remember how to speak, he faintly heard, “What the hell are you doing? Put that out.”</p><p>“Jesus. Fine,” another voice answered, more clearly this time. Ada. Nines didn’t have to scramble his thoughts to put that together. The realization was automatic, and he felt himself start to awaken a bit more.</p><p>“He hates cigarette smoke,” the first voice said heatedly. “You know that.”</p><p>Gavin. <em>Gavin</em>.   </p><p>His body suddenly came alive when he remembered that the man he loved was nearby. Where before he was cautious, everything unfamiliar but so far safe, now he wanted to set off an inferno to blast away the darkness so he could get back to him. To Gavin.</p><p>“Gavin,” he shouted, but the name only came out as broken whisper. He tried again, harder this time. “<em>Gavin</em>.”</p><p>“Hey, shit. Nines. You’re awake. You’re okay. Just-just take it easy.”</p><p>The soft words were accompanied with Nines suddenly feeling a palm sliding against his own, then long and firm fingers tightly interlacing with his own. The touch was enough to remind him that if he wanted to see Gavin, he needed to open his eyes.</p><p>So he did.</p><p>Green eyes the color of leaves fading in the fall looked down at Nines. They were wide with worry, with flecks of red dotted against white.</p><p>“You’ve been crying,” Nines said slowly, worry and affection intermixed in his chest. “What’s wrong?” He asked dumbly. He tried to lift a hand to touch Gavin, but his arm wouldn’t move. All the energy he had to give was spared to just wake up.</p><p>“You idiot,” Gavin said softly, and brought their intertwined hands to quickly brush them against his lips.</p><p>“Gavin,” Ada warned in a hushed whisper from a chair seated beside him. The soft footsteps of a passerby echoed outside the room, then slowly faded.</p><p>Dropping their hands down, Gavin squeezed Nines hand once and then slowly let it go. His face was an unreadable mask, but his eyes were alit with affection and warmth.</p><p>Nines desperately wanted to grab his hand again, but a vague memory tugged at the back of his mind warning him against doing so.</p><p>Instead, Nines finally took in his surroundings. A typical sterilized hospital room walled his bed, with only a closed door and a window looking out into a hallway breaking up the style. An IV was hooked up to his arm, and in addition to his head aching, when he shifted a wave of dizziness overwhelmed his entire body.</p><p>Shifting in her seat, Ada twirled the unlit cigarette in her hand and said, “Gavin. Be a dear and fetch a nurse to let the doctor know Nines is awake. I’m sure they’ll want to give him a good look over.”</p><p>Gavin slid his eyes towards Ada’s, then back to Nines. His lips pressed so tightly together only a thin white line marked his mouth, but he merely nodded, then walked away.</p><p>When the door shut behind Gavin, Nines let out a breath, attempting to stop the room from spinning.</p><p>“They let him go,” Ada said, cutting through his visual distortion.</p><p>Nines eyes cut back towards Ada. She was wearing her favorite dress, a deep blue that accented her eyes that the cameras adored. Her shoulders carried a plaid checkered jacket, and a matching navy hat adorned her platinum hair. When she had spoken, Nines noticed her lips were the color of ripe apples.</p><p>The world had stuttering to a stop, and even though Nines knew what she meant, he couldn’t stop himself from whispering, “What?”</p><p>Two sets of blue eyes met over the hospital bed. “The studio had to blame someone when their star actor got injured on set, and holding up shooting which costs a pretty penny, as you know. Blaming reptiles just isn’t cost effective.” She gave him a wan smile, “Even when the accusers can recognize their own, doesn’t mean they want to admit it.”</p><p>Nines turned to the ceiling, feeling somehow worse than he did when he had first woke.</p><p>“You could have died, or broken your neck,” Ada continued with a dramatic sigh. “And I’ve been stuck with Gavin nestled up to your bedside like a lost puppy for almost two days. It would be sweet to see if he wasn’t such a miserable bear to be around. You know he can’t come here without me.”</p><p>Nines didn’t respond, he was only half listening by now. But he didn’t miss Ada’s comments about Gavin. He was grateful for Ada’s help, he always had been. Their relationship had been for show since the start, and there was no way Gavin could be there without a legitimate reason, or else suspicions would arise.</p><p>The door to the room opened suddenly opened. An older white haired doctor with a gruff face and a semi-friendly smile walked in. Gavin followed him, then stood off to the side, his arms folded.</p><p>“Besides a rough bump on your head you came out of this cleaner than expected,” the doctor commented after his examination. “You’ll be feeling the aftereffects of the concussion for a few days, but it should fade eventually.”</p><p>He then turned to Gavin and said, “How about we give these two lovebirds a few minutes alone before our patient gets some more rest?”</p><p>The near murderous look on Gavin’s face was completely missed by the doctor, but Nines could read it as clear as an open book.</p><p>Ada, as always in character, swooped in. “You’re an absolute dear for suggesting that doctor, but I’d rather give my poor darling all the time in the world to regain his strength.” Following well-practiced movements, she bent over and placed a delicate kiss to Nines’ forehead, lovingly wiping away a few strands of hair.</p><p>Without looking, Nines knew that murderous gaze had been transferred to Ada gazing at him with carefully trained affection.</p><p>“All right then,” the doctor said, and opened the door. He stood aside and waited for Ada and Gavin to exit.</p><p>Nines kept his eyes on Gavin, who lingered for a moment, then followed Ada out the door.</p><hr/><p>Nines’ cracked wrist watch read 11:47 by the time the taxi arrived at the trailer park Gavin lived in near the studio. He paid and exited the vehicle, then relied on the light from the moon and the few trailers that still had their lights on to find Gavin’s place.</p><p>Luckily, Gavin’s trailer was one of those who was still burning the midnight electric lights.</p><p>He banged loudly on the door a few times, then stepped back, waiting. Barely a full moment passed before the door swung open, and Gavin stood behind the screen, his eyes narrowed.</p><p>“Nines?” Gavin exclaimed when he saw him. “What the hell are you doing here? Get inside.”</p><p>“What do you mean what am I doing here?” Nines growled as he stepped inside on wobbly legs. “You never came back to the hospital.”</p><p>With a firm hand, Gavin slid his fingers around Nines’ bicep, steadying him before leading him over to a couch at the far end of the trailer. The place looked barely lived in, because it was. Gavin spent most of his time at the studio, and when he wasn’t there he was with Nines.</p><p>But Nines didn’t miss the large, battered old army issued duffel open on the bed, parts of clothing sticking out at the top.</p><p>After Nines sat down, Gavin crouched in front of him, looking him over with a careful eye. “You know I can’t come back to the hospital without Ada. So you, what, just left?”</p><p>Nines shrugged and wiped a hand across his sweaty brow, the exertion since leaving the hospital left him weak and his body ached with every movement. “Pretty much, yeah.”</p><p>A dog barked loudly in the distance, followed by some echoed shouting, but Gavin kept his eyes steady on Nines when he replied, “You really are an idiot, aren’t ya?”</p><p>Not in the mood, Nines placed a hand on Gavin’s cheek and said, “Just shut up and kiss me, will you?”</p><p>Nines didn’t miss Gavin’s hesitation, but he still accepted Nines lips firmly against his own when Nines leaned forward.</p><p>Calloused fingers carded themselves through Nines’ hair, and the warm air in the trailer grew thicker, a heavy desperation that lingered like static between them.</p><p>Gavin was the first to pull away, tilting his head to the side so that he could place a separate kiss against Nines’ palm that wasn’t touching him. Nines’ heart lurched, and he couldn’t stop the words from tumbling out of his mouth. “Don’t go.”</p><p>Looking back up at Nines, Gavin searched his face, then he sighed and stood. He took a step back so that he was leaning against the counter, and crossed his arms. He folded himself into his usual stance when he was trying to distance himself physically, and emotionally.</p><p>“So, did Ada tell you?” Gavin asked, looking at the linoleum floor.</p><p>Nines curled his fingers into a fist. “What happened wasn’t your fault. I’ll talk to the guys at the studio-”</p><p>Cutting him off, Gavin shook his head and said, “It’s a no go, Nines. They aren’t going to change their mind.”</p><p>“You don’t know that,” Nines tried desperately, his anger growing. He didn’t know why Gavin wouldn’t fight this, wouldn’t even try-</p><p>“They were going to put down Stalwart,” Gavin shouted, his eyes ablaze with fury.</p><p>Whatever pain Nines had been feeling from his injury, it was nothing to the ragged slice of fear that lanced his heart.</p><p>His mouth fell open in shock, and as much as he wanted to speak, horror that something bad had happened to his beloved horse had tightly closed his throat in its vice.</p><p>“Shit, he’s fine. He’s okay,” Gavin said, his face instantly softening when he saw how afraid Nines had become, his face drained of color. He unfolded his arms and one hand began to reach out to Nines, but then he pulled it back. “I have him in a stall a buddy of mine uses for <em>The Rifleman’s</em> horses.”</p><p>“How?” Nines managed to croak out.</p><p>The hand that minutes ago was in Nines’ hair was now threaded through his own curls as he answered, “I bought him.”</p><p> Another ripple of shock, though less painful, splintered through Nines’ chest. “You what? That-that would have cost-”</p><p>“Yeah,” Gavin cut in. “It did.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Nines said. He ran a trembling hand over his mouth. “<em>Thank you</em>.”</p><p>Restless with all this new information pinballing around in his mind, Nines tried to stand, unable to bear how much the world had changed so quickly.</p><p>“Hey, hey,” Gavin said and stepped forward, breaking through his own wall. He slid his hands along Nines arms and said, “Stop. What are you doing? You need to take it easy.”</p><p>“What are you doing?” Nines shot back. “You-What are you going to do?”</p><p>Sighing, Gavin said, “I’ve got an old friend from my regiment days who started a horse farm up in northern Michigan. I’m heading that way with Stalwart, going to work there for a while. He,” Gavin paused, emotion leaking into his voice. “He can’t stay here locked up in a stall forever. You know that.”</p><p>Confused, Nines asked “Why Michigan? Why can’t you stay here? There are plenty of jobs-“</p><p>“The studio blacklisted me,” Gavin answered sadly. “They’re using me as an example to other trainers. I couldn’t get another job if I walked into every studio in the city.”</p><p>“When are you leaving?” Nines asked, fearing the answer.</p><p>“Tomorrow,” Gavin said. “I’m taking the mid-morning train. They had an available stall for Stalwart.” He paused, his voice lowering sadly. ”I-I was going to tell you today but, well, you know how that went.”</p><p><em>Tomorrow</em>. Nines felt like he was going to wretch. He took in a few deep breaths to calm his nausea.</p><p>“And us,” Nines heatedly asked when his stomach finished churning and his mind stopped repeating the word Michigan over and over in his head like a slur. “What about-?” he couldn’t finish the sentence again. He couldn’t dare.</p><p>Gavin scoffed. “You know how I feel about you, Nines. But everything-it’s all against us.” His fists clenched against the side of his legs. “This isn’t one of your show’s episodes. You know there’s no happy ending.”</p><p>“Bullshit,” Nines shouted. He didn’t know where the aggression had come from, but he wasn’t letting this go as easily as Stalwart’s reigns in his hands.</p><p>“I don’t know what else to tell you,” Gavin said, crossing his arms once more. The last few days had left him exhausted. He didn’t know how to fight it anymore. “You know how things are for-for people like us.”</p><p>Nines knew what he was talking about. It was the whole reason he and Ada were together, why she understood his relationship with Gavin. For the longest time Nines had scratched and clawed his way to get to where he was now, but suddenly a doorway to a complete opposite life had appeared, and inside everything was new and terrifying. But it had Gavin.</p><p>He had never wanted anything more.</p><p>“Ask me,” Nines hissed suddenly. When Gavin looked away, knowing what Nines as asking, Nines slid his palms against Gavin’s cheeks. “<em>Ask me</em>,” he demanded once more.</p><p>“You know I can’t,” Gavin whispered, tilting his head to the side, “Leaving with me isn’t the life you want Nines.” He let out a humorless laugh. “You have a studio contract for a hit television show people would kill for. Hordes of fans and magazine covers, and a beautiful girlfriend who can visit you in the hospital whenever she likes.”</p><p>Gavin’s words were hurt and bitter, but true. He sniffed, and Nines was shocked to see a tear suddenly leaked out of his eye, trickling down Nine’s trembling fingers still cupping his face like a precious treasure.</p><p>But Nines didn’t let up. “Ask. Me,” he practically begged, his own tears now leaking down his cheeks.</p><p>Though Gavin remained silent, his eyes spoke volumes. Nines could easily see the battle that was raging inside him. He wanted to say the words, but he couldn’t, because he knew what Nines answer would be, and he wouldn’t let Nines sacrifice everything he had worked for to give it all up. Not for him.</p><p>Suddenly a wave of nausea blossomed in Nines’ chest, and the dizziness returned like a tidal wave in his head. He hissed, and stumbled forward, grasping onto Gavin to keep from falling.</p><p>“Hey,” Gavin whispered as he caught him. He wrapped his arms around Nines’ waist and then swore. “You stubborn asshole,” he muttered affectionately and began leading him towards the bed. “You never should have left the hospital.”</p><p>“I know, I know. I’m an idiot,” Nines muttered and laid down when he felt his knees connect with the mattress. He felt Gavin climb onto the bed with him.</p><p>The pillow was lumpy but soft, and Gavin tucked Nines against his chest, his breathing slow and steady. Nines curled into him, grasping tight handfuls of Gavin’s shirt, and breathed in the familiar scent of nicotine and dust. Home.</p><p>“We’ll talk in the morning,” Nines muttered, his eyes shut tight to calm the spinning.</p><p>Gavin’s calloused fingers traced lines through Nines hair, and he only responded, “Sleep.”   </p><p>And Nines slept.</p><p>The first time Nines had dreamt of open plains with snowcapped mountain ranges in the distance and lungs full of fresh air scented with flowers, it was after his first riding lesson with Gavin. Nines had been so worried about failing off the horse, he never would have imagined that by the end of the lesson, he would be so desperate for more.</p><p>Gavin told Nines only a little about his past before moving to Hollywood. A mostly outdoor childhood in northern Michigan, then as a young adult being drafted to the Pacific during World War II followed a brief stint as a POW before liberation.</p><p>But when Nines innocently asked him why he liked working with horses, he never expected the gruff, mostly silent man to answer the way he did.</p><p>“Lots of guys will tell you that having a car is like having freedom,” Gavin had explained as they walked their horses through a trail outside the studio’s lot, heading back to the stalls. “But riding a horse is a whole other path not many people like to consider. A car is a machine, it’ll do whatever you tell it to. But a horse? They’re alive, and they’ll give you that freedom if they trust their relationship with you. It’s two-way, and personal, and you’ve got to work for it. But when a horse trusts you, loves you, it’s a bond worth doing anything for.” </p><hr/><p>When Nines woke Gavin was gone. The duffel was gone.</p><p>But on the bed beside him was his sable fedora and a small note card with an address for a farm in Michigan and a short hand written note.</p><p>
  <em>I’m sorry. I love you, Gavin.</em>
</p><p>Later, inside the idling taxi, Nines had meant to tell the driver the address of the studio. He had so much to catch up on, and would need to discuss finding a new horse. Ada would no doubt be wanting to hear from him since he had left the hospital early, and the stack of scripts in the office needed careful reviews before they could plan the next episode.</p><p>Instead, the taxi had had pulled up to LA’s Union Station, and ten minutes later Nines had a ticket in his hand.</p><p>Inside the train, he walked the aisles, scanning the seats. It took him to nearly the last car when he stopped, finding what he was looking for.</p><p>Gavin was looking out the window, his duffel tucked in a compartment above. It looked as if Gavin was people watching, but his eyes were steady, lost in whatever thoughts were floating through his mind.</p><p>His arms were crossed, his body tight, and his mouth a thin-line of determination for a decision he made that he hated, but believed was necessary.</p><p>Slowly, Nines walked up to the seats, and then cleared his throat. He watched as Gavin jerked, and whipped his head around, his mouth open for no doubt a withering comment about being bothered.</p><p>Nines couldn’t stop his smile from growing when Gavin’s mouth dropped open in surprise, his eyes growing wide as they ran a gauntlet of shock, confusion, and then hope.</p><p>Tilting his head towards the empty chair next to Gavin, Nines said, “Is this seat taken?”</p><hr/><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Comments and Kudos are always appreciated. Thank you for the support!</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>